Accession Count: 1
Common Name:
mottlecah
Family Name:
Myrtaceae
Botanical Name:
Eucalyptus macrocarpa
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
The mottlecah is a small, woody, evergreen tree that generally grows 1-3m (3ft - 10 ft) tall and wide but may grow much larger in its native range as some report heights up to 10 m (30 ft). The wood is, smooth, light gray when young but becomes mottled with browns as the tree ages and bark peels off. The minty-scented leaves, which range in color from powder blue to light green and even powdery white, are ovate-ellipical in shape, sessile, 12cm (4 in) long and 8 am (3 in) wide (7). The plant's flowers are eye-catching, 10cm (4in) long and have many red stamens with bright yellow anthers protruding from a light gray cap-like half cylinder, called an operculum. The fruit of this plant is very large, has a saucer-like base while the part facing outwards resembles a sand dollar or a yellow eye with a red starfish in the center. They often average 76.2 mm (3 inches), but sizes can sometimes vary.
Compound:
euc mac
Geographic Origin:
Western Australia
Ecozone Origin:
Nearctic
Biome Origin:
Desert
Natural History:
From Greek, macro means large/long and carpos means fruit (3). It was described in 1842 by William Jackson Hooker using a sample collected by James Drumand (4). This plant can be found in areas with poor nutrient content, acidic sand.
Cultivation Notes:
Cultivation can be done through the plants seeds or propagation via semi-woody cuttings during spring-late summer. Seedlings do best in well drained soil and when provided with enough water to avoid drought stress, but not so much that it encourages mold. Once established, they prefer minimal water and lots of sunlight with a hardiness zone of 9-11. They thrive in nutrient pour soil and do not require any fertillizer.
Ethnobotany:
Flowers of this plant produce a nectar that attracts bees, butterflies, honeyeaters and other pollinators in Australia, Plants residing in the United states also appear to attract pollinators like hummingbirds (2). The leaves are consumed by koalas and other herbivores that live in Australia (5). This plant has been used medicinally through its leaves as an antiseptic atopic. It is also valued as an ornamental tree, and is often planted in gardens and parks (5).
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
6 - 10 feet
Growth Rate:
Slow Growing
Grow Season:
Spring
Flower Season:
Summer
Color:
Red
Function:
Shade
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Low water Use
